Rear-axle assembly



A. M. LEONI. REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY.

APPLICATION FILED JULY I9, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

A. M LEONI.

HEAR AXLE ASSEMBLY.

APPLICATION FILED IuLY I9, I9I9.

Patented July 19, 1921..

V Z SHEETS-SHEET 2- Yuntreu sra ALIECNSQ M. LEONI, CF PHILADELPHIA,

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PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 STEINMETZ ELECTRIC MGTOR CAR CQRJPORATION, 0F BALTI- MORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND.

REAR-MILE ASSEMBLY.

ieaoae.

application ined July 1e,v

To all whom t 17u/y concern.'

'Rear-Axle Assemblies,l of which the following is a specilication.

Thls invention relates to an improvement in rear axles for motor vehicles, whereln a yunit formation is 'provided for the convenient assembling and disassem'bling of the parts.

The improved construction provides a housing made up of two principal parts, one

such part being formed for the reception and mounting of the live and dead axles,

and the other such part, carried by and re.

movably secured to the first mentioned part, serving as a carrier for the dierential and driving connections between such diil'erential and power shafts.

The carrier section of the housing is provided with a counter shaft set at a square angle with the power shaft and operated thereby, the differential gearing belng driven from such counter-shaft by a spur gearing, as distinguished from the usual bevel gearing for the purpose. Furthermore, this counter shaft is utilized as a brake shaft, having a brake band wheel or drum forthe purpose.

rll`he main, or body section of the housing is formed to receive the dierential casing, and is provided with lateral sleeve extensions to support the live axles operated through the differential, and with lateral sleeve extensions in which the dead axles are secured. rl`he ends of the body section are closed by plates formed to support the driving pinions on the live axles, and for correctly positioning the bearings for the live axles with respect to the axle center line, and also provided with a support for a dust-proof connection for the internal gear drive.

, In the drawings Figure 1 1s a vertical central section through the assembly constructed in accordance with the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a similar sectionltaken at right angles to that of Fig. 1.

he invention is here shown as comprising a rear axle housing madeup in two main Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 19., 1912i.

1919. serial No. 311.914.

parts, a body section l and a carrier section 2. 4The body section l has the usual centrally-arranged, semi-spherical, hollow bowl 3., open at the upper end to receive the carrier section 2. The bowl 3 is formed near the upper end with laterally-projecting sleeve extensions 4, to receive the live or driving axles, and is also formed at the extreme lower end with lateral sleeve exten' sions `5 to receive the dead or wheel carrying axles.y The sleeve extensions 4 and 5, extend transversely of the vehicle frame and are of such lengths as to extend beyond the saine, the sleeves 4 having integral lips 6, forming with the upper portions of such sleeves, a shouldered bearing for the frame bars 7. rlhe dead axle sleeves 5 are formed at the lowest point of the body section of the housing, and the latter is preferably thickened and otherwise reinforced, asiat 8, at this point. lf desired this section 1 may be provided with integral extensions 9, to which brace-bars 10 secured to the vehicle frame, may be, bolted for effective bracing. The sleeves 5 are preferably slightly tapered and the dead, or wheel carrying axles 11 are similarly tapered for a driving t within said sleeves, pins 12 being used for additional securing if desired.

rlhe carrier section 2 of the housing is provided with a base-section 13, adapted to conform to the upper open end of the body section l, and tobe removably bolted thereto as shown. Thecarrier section is hollow above the body section, 'and theside walls thereof provided to receive bearings 14, sup-y rlhe sides of the body portion of the hous-` ing present an annular flange 20 beyond the open ends of the sleeves 4 and 5, and plates 21 are removably bolted to these tlanges. Each late 21 is formed in line with 'the live axle s eeve 4 with an annular wall bearing opening 22 to receive a bearing tov support the. outer end of 'the live axle. *Anklopening 23 `1s also formd inthe plate to permit passage therethrough ofthe dead-axle.. The` v plate also carries a ring member`24, lformed with an internal groove 25 to receive a packing to exclude dust and vided with pinions or` gearin drive con,- nection 'with the wheels," and te plates' 21 thus sup erly position the bearings; spect to the axle center line, and form proof guard for the bearings. y

lThe counter-shaft 15 is provided with a bevel gear 26, keyed thereon, which through lsuitab e meshing gearing on the power shaft, serves to operate the counter shaft. A Spur gear 27 is keyed on' the counter shaft, in line with thediiferential gear case, and the latter is provided with a similar gear 29 in mesh therefor with re.-

a dust with the gear 27.` Through the. arrangement described a spur-gearin V.connections is provided with the `diferentlal, as distinguished `from the usualbevel gear drive, thus elimil hating the necessity of providing for adjustment, taking care`of1the-1side thrust, and

other objections of the bevel-gear type. f

While the invention is herel shown'as a" gear drive fromthelive'axlest is apparentthat the essential details are not limited toa particular type of wheel`drive,fasrother cony, ventional typesmay be utilized: and are contemplated. `1 1 The counter-shaft v15 is 'extended beyond the carrier section of thehousing,'and the extended portion is provided with ya brake wheel. or drum,.as 30. The brake' Wheel in this arrangement is parallel to the length of located the vehicle, and is thus conveniently for brake control.

Having thus described. the invention, what is claimed, is

1. A rear axle assembly comprising a twofv art housing, one part being formed with ateral sleeve extensions `such plates to receive dust-guard strips ring to bear on the lflange of 'the wheel dirt fron1' the bearings. The free ends oi the.` live axles are proal rt the live or driving axles, prop` to receive the driving and dead axles, plates secured to such part, bearings for the driving axles arranged in such plates, and rings lcarried by coperation with the wheels.

forl

2. rear axle assemblyVv comprising". z housing havmg lower sleeve portions to rel ceive dead axles, upper sleeve portions to re- `ceive live axles, a second housing adapted `rto `be removably secured to the upper end of the first housing, and a differential supported wholly by saidsecond housing and operating within the first housing.

3. A rear axle assembly comprising a main housing having a bowl portion and up.- per and lower sleeve extensions therefrom,

an yauxiliary. housing arranged to be removably secured tothe main'housing, a differential carried by the auxiliary housing and arranged `wholly within the main housing, and a spur-gear drive for said differential arrangedin saidfauxiliaryihousing. j

4f.` A rear 'axle assembly, comprising a main housing havingaafbowl portion 'with upper and lowersleevemembers extending therefrom to receivelive''and deady axles, an

auxiliary housing to`be`removablysecured to thev main l housingr and ',haying bearingV extensions projecting within the bowl portion ofthe main housingtO receive theI inner ends ofjthe live axles, af'diiferential supported by andA `betwe'errsaid bearings, and-a driving `means for said"diferentialsupported inthe auxiliary holisingandv including a spurgear.

5. A rear axle assembly including a main -housing supporting .live 'andf dead axles, an auxiliary housing. removably'secured to the main housing' and supporting a differential and bearings for such-*live v axles, [driving meansffor the vdifferential supported in the auxiliary housing, and la counterfshaft supported in 'such auxiliary housinggand Ioperated through-such driving' means.

In 'testimony whereof I fiix my signature.

, ALFONSO Liaoni. 

